At the close of the Department of Interior Comment Period for the Bureau of Land Management Methane Waste (BLM) Prevention rule, it was abundantly clear that the vast majority of commenters wish to uphold or strengthen the rule. It was also clear several religious leaders took issue with the lack of public notification and hearings about this proposed rollback to the rule, which had originally been crafted after three years of stakeholder meetings, public hearings, and comment collection.

Peter Severson, leader of the creation care team of the Rocky Mountain Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) noted:…we participated in the rule-making process in 2016 by sending people to testify at public hearings in favorof this much-needed rule. So far, there have been no public hearings about the rescinding of the rule. We request an explanation of why the Department of Interior made this decision.

Pastors James and Kimberly Therrien of Lybrook Community Ministries in Counselor, New Mexico said of the process for the proposed rollback:Venting and flaring, as well as methane leaks, disproportionately endanger our community... We have not heard any announcements about this proposed rollback in our news channels. Nothing has run on the Navajo radio station, even though the Navajo Nation endorsed the Methane Waste Prevention Rule when it was created. It is wrong that our community had not chance to voice our concerns in hearings, and we urge your department to give us the chance.

Dr. D. Edward Chaney, pastor of the largest Historically Black Church in Nevada, Second Baptist Church in Las Vegas, shared his view:Rolling back the Bureau of Land Management Methane Waste Prevention Rule will harm Nevadans and African-Americans specifically. It is an unseen threat deliberately designed to go unnoticed with no public hearings.

Recent polling shows more than three out of four people support the rule, and an analysis of public comments conducted by the Center for Western priorities found that 99 percent of public comments were in favor of upholding or strengthening the rule, rather than rolling it back. One week after the close of the comment period, faith community leaders are still seeking a response from the Department of Interior about the lack of hearings.

President Donald Trump signed an Executive Order that calls for a rewrite of the Clean Power Plan, the policy intended to be a blueprint for reducing carbon pollution from existing power plants by nearly 30 percent from 2005 levels. The Clean Power Plan was the mechanism for the United States to meet its carbon emissions reduction targets under the Paris climate agreement. The Executive Order also seeks to lift a moratorium on federal coal leasing and remove the requirement that federal officials consider the impact of climate change when making decisions. Here are some Christian communities' responses to the Administration's action. (We will continue updating this page as more statements become available.)It has never been more important to make our voices heard at the People's Climate March on April 29 in Washington, DC. Join us: www.creationjustice.org/climatemarch

Ecumenical Responses

CHURCH WORLD SERVICE(read in full)"By cutting back programs specifically designed to reduce carbon emissions, further damage — potentially irreparable — will be done to God’s Earth; this in turn, will place hundreds of thousands more of already at-risk communities in harm’s way. As a faith based organization on the front lines of responding to climate change in many countries around the world, including the United States, CWS is painfully aware of the additional burdens that these policies will cause."

CREATION JUSTICE MINISTRIES(read in full)As Christians, we are first responders to climate damage. Disaster relief ministries struggle to meet challenges of rising floodwaters, merciless wildfires, and harsher storms. Hunger relief ministries seek to respond to severe droughts and disrupted access to food. Health ministries are dealing with higher rates of asthma and increased vector-borne diseases. We have a moral duty to prevent more harm. As caretakers of God’s creation, we are accountable to our Maker for sustaining the needs of current and future generations. As such, we call upon the Administration to re-examine its actions under this executive order and to remain true to its stated commitment of protecting the environment.

Protestant Responses

CHRISTIAN CHURCH (DISCIPLES OF CHRIST) STATEMENT (read in full)Rev. Dr. Sharon Watkins, General Minister and President of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), said of the executive order, “As Disciples, we are committed to bringing wholeness to a fragmented world. This recent executive order will do the opposite. Failure to care for our climate harms the most vulnerable among us — children, older adults, people who don’t have the luxury of being able to move away from pollution, and those suffering from respiratory and other illnesses. I call upon the Administration to re-examine its actions and to remain true to its stated commitment of protecting clean air.”

EPISCOPAL CHURCH BISHOPS' STATEMENT (read in full)"We live in a moment that demands urgent action. In the Episcopal Church alone, our members are already experiencing hunger, drought, and human loss due to climate change. From the Alaska Native Gwich’in hunter facing food insecurity as winter approaches to the Navajo grandmother praying for drought relief, Episcopalians are eager to confront our changing climate through local action and national policy."

EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH IN AMERICA (read in full)"We call upon the Administration to re-examine its actions under this executive order and to proceed with extreme caution. We also call upon the Administration to remain true to its stated commitment of protecting the environment and to base all actions on principles of stewardship, sustainability, and justice."

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (USA) STATEMENT (read in full)Rev. Jimmie Ray Hawkins, Director of the Office of Public Witness of the PC(USA) said, "As people of faith who believe in a God of creation who commands good and proper stewardship of this gift, we must speak with one voice that this world is worth protecting. We affirm that climate change is real and impacted by the actions of human beings. We can protect the environment and affirm the dignity of work as we come together to produce solutions which enhance all aspects of created life. But environmental justice must be a priority or we will not have a future to work towards. 'In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth,… and God saw that it was good.' (Gen 1:1; 10b)"

UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST (read in full)In 2013, the United Church of Christ became the first religious organization to call for the divestment of funds from companies that primarily profit from fossil fuels. We believe this to be a theological imperative, a faithful response to a theological emergency. We believe that the current rate of fossil fuel consumption is a death trap from which we will not escape without deep commitments to significant changes. The modest steps taken by the previous administration to comply with the Paris Accords were helpful and necessary. Recent actions by the Administration to rollback environmental protections and responsible measures to address climate change are seen by us as a crime against humanity – an act that ensures the ongoing destruction of the planet and endangers future generations on whose behalf we are charged with stewarding God’s creation. The response of the faith community must be proportional to the threat. Because climate change makes all other injustice worse, now is the time for us to step up.

Catholic Responses

CATHOLIC CLIMATE COVENANT (read full text)"The administration claims that these new orders will create jobs and grow the economy. The fact is, however, that those who work in energy conservation and renewable energy are already experiencing an economic boom. Government policies should support the transition to a carbon-neutral economy. As Pope Francis emphasizes, “There is an urgent need to develop policies so that, in the next few years, the emission of carbon dioxide and other highly polluting gases can be drastically reduced, for example, substituting for fossil fuels and developing sources of renewable energy” (Laudato Si’ 26)."

JESUIT CONFERENCE OF THE US AND CANADA (read full text)"We know the effects of climate change are borne by the most vulnerable people, whether at home or around the world. Increasing floods, droughts, food and water insecurity, and conflict over declining resources are all making the lives of the world's poorest people even more precarious. Pope Francis in Laudato Si', laments the widespread indifference to 'a tragic rise in the number of migrants seeking to flee from the growing poverty caused by environmental degradation.' Catholic Relief Services echoed this concern in a recent report noting, 'As arable land and water become increasingly scarce, conflict looms, along with the potential for migration from the most affected countries and a repetitive cycle of costly emergency response.'"

SISTERS OF MERCY (read full text)“Our sisters in Latin America, the Caribbean and the Philippines who are experiencing melting glaciers, rising sea levels and devastating storms have been calling on us in the United States to urge our government to take strong measures to address climate change,” said Sister Patricia McDermott, president of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas. “This order ignores the cry of the Earth, our common home, and the cry of the most impacted peoples, including here in the United States, where low-income communities of color are disproportionately located near polluting industries that contribute to climate change.”

On March 28, 2017, President Trump signed an executive order directing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to review and possibly repeal the Clean Power Plan and carbon pollution standards for new power plants. The executive order sets in motion the dismantling of several important climate change protections intended to safeguard our environment and public health. The executive order fails to offer an alternative plan to safeguard our air quality and the stability of the climate.

Carbon dioxide emissions from power plants account for 40% of the carbon pollution in the United States. Creation Justice Ministries serves communities burdened by these power plants’ air pollution. We are responsible to the children, older adults, people with respiratory diseases, and communities of color who bear a disproportionate burden when we fail to protect our air.

As Christians, we are first responders to climate damage. Disaster relief ministries struggle to meet challenges of rising floodwaters, merciless wildfires, and harsher storms. Hunger relief ministries seek to respond to severe droughts and disrupted access to food. Health ministries are dealing with higher rates of asthma and increased vector-borne diseases. Short-sightedness, greed, and apathy have burdened God's creation with irreversible damage. We have an urgent moral duty to prevent more harm.

As caretakers of God’s creation, we are accountable to our Maker for sustaining the needs of current and future generations. As such, we call upon the Administration to re-examine its actions under this executive order and to remain true to its stated commitment to protect clean air.

At this juncture, we believe another path forward is necessary and possible. Ecological and economic well-being should go hand-in-hand, and every day local communities are innovating creative climate solutions that also foster job opportunities. The love we have for our neighbors, for children, and for God’s good creation will strengthen our communities to prevail.

Today, President Donald Trump signed a Presidential Memorandum to the US Army Corps of Engineers directing them to complete the Dakota Access Pipeline permitting process to the extent allowed under law. Based on previous studies by the Corps, current interpretation of the law includes: respecting the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe’s treaty rights, a full Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), and careful consideration of alternative routes.

Nothing in the Memorandum addresses these considerations, and the easement to undertake Dakota Access Pipeline construction under the Missouri River has not been granted. Yet, the Memorandum’s release on President Trump’s fifth day in office invites profound concern for religious communities, which have heavily invested in solidarity efforts to protect Standing Rock Sioux treaty lands and water.

United Church of Christ Environmental Justice Minister Rev. Dr. Brooks Berndt said the Trump Administration’s actions today “have revived the dinosaurs of an obsolete and destructive energy system.” He went on to urge Christians everywhere, “If you care about the people of Standing Rock, if you care about the world we are giving to our children and grandchildren, then now is the time to act. Corporate greed must no longer trample over love of neighbor and love of those dear to us.”

Creation Justice Ministries Executive Director Shantha Ready Alonso responded to the news: “This was a brash decision by an Administration that claims to care about clean water and local decision-making power. I hope and pray this Memorandum does not set the tone for the Trump Administration’s posture toward matters of environmental justice and indigenous rights. As Christians, we are committed to responsible stewardship of the gifts of God’s creation, and to respecting the sovereignty of our indigenous brothers and sisters. We call on the Administration to respect indigenous rights and the safety of drinking water for millions.

Locally, as they have consistently done from the beginning of their resistance to the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline on their treaty lands, members of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe are maintaining a posture of strength through prayer.

Episcopal Deacon Brandon Mauai of Standing Rock said of today’s announcement, “We need to pray that every person in a decision-making position takes into consideration that authorizing this pipeline will harm the people of Standing Rock. We continue to pray for all leadership, including our President Donald Trump. We pray we can reach a conclusion that will not harm any life, and the Church takes the side of creation and the people.”

The National Council of Churches of the Churches of Christ in the USA (NCC) and Creation Justice Ministries join in expressing their deep appreciation to President Obama and the Army Corps of Engineers for the historic decision to not grant an easement for the proposed Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) through the contested site in Standing Rock, North Dakota.

As previously planned, the DAPL would have transversed sovereign Sioux land considered by the Sioux to be sacred, and has already damaged tribal burial grounds. DAPL would have been placed underneath the Missouri River, potentially polluting drinking water and endangering the health of millions downstream.

Creation Justice Ministries Executive Director Shantha Ready Alonso said of the decision, “We are grateful to the Administration for this decision. The belief system that a company can take over indigenous land for profit can be traced back to the Doctrine of Discovery -- 15th century papal teachings which have historically been used to justify land theft, colonization, and genocide. Standing with the Standing Rock Sioux to defend their sacred land has been an important step by Christians to reject the Doctrine of Discovery and to rectify injustice. As Christians, we have a moral responsibility to stand with indigenous peoples to protect their sovereignty, and God’s creation.”

Creation Justice Ministries and the NCC celebrate the ways in which faith leaders have stood alongside the Water Protectors of the Standing Rock Sioux in this struggle. Member communions of NCC and Creation Justice Ministries have sent delegations to stand in solidarity with the Sioux as they have strongly opposed the pipeline which would have run across their sacred lands. The organizations’ leaders hope this will be seen as a turning point in the troubled relationship Native Americans and Christians have often shared throughout history, that Christians will stand on the side of justice.

“This is an incredible development,” said NCC President and General Secretary Jim Winkler. “I believe the churches that stood with the Sioux made a difference. I’m deeply grateful for NCC member communions who saw Standing Rock as a place to stand for justice. Obviously, we hope this decision will not be reversed in the coming administration.”

We join in celebrating this moment in which the words and actions of protest have been heard by our governmental leaders. We pray that additional strides toward justice and care for the environment will be spurred by the events of the past months at Standing Rock.

Since its founding in 1950, the National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA has been the leading force for shared ecumenical witness among Christians in the United States. The NCC’s 38 member communions – from a wide spectrum of Protestant, Anglican, Orthodox, Evangelical, historic African American and Living Peace churches – include 45 million persons in more than 100,000 local congregations in communities across the nation.

"Today a kairos time arrived on the banks of the Cannon Ball River. The Indigenous Nations of this land have found a new ally among those denominations that have stood with their commitment to repudiate the Doctrine of Discovery. The commitment of the Oceti Sakowin (7 Council Fires of the Great Sioux Nation) are responding to the news with generosity, forgiveness and their own call to reconciliation. We are hopeful that a new day (anpao) has begun in recognition of Treaty obligations being met by the government and people residing in Indian Country -- all of this continent." ~ Fr. John Floberg, Episcopal Priest, Diocese of North Dakota; Lead convener of Standing Rock Clergy Action of November 2016

"We stand firmly in support of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe in defense of their water and tribal sovereignty. We celebrate the Army Corps decision with them, but know that there is much work to do to ensure the protection of the Missouri River and respect for tribal lands."- Rev. Dr. J. Herbert Nelson, Stated Clerk, Presbyterian Church (USA)

At November 2016 clergy gathering at Standing Rock, with more than 530 participants, crowd conducts a ceremony to burn the Doctrine of Discovery. Photo credit: United Church of Christ

To read the Standing Rock Sioux Statement on the Easement Decision, please CLICK HERE.To read the National Congress of American Indians Statement on Easement Decision please CLICK HERE.

Today, 25 faith leaders sent a thank-you letter to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) for their recently released Methane Waste Standard, officially called the “Waste Prevention, Production Subject to Royalties, and Resource Conservation Rule.” The Methane Waste Standard will require oil and gas operations on BLM and tribal lands to detect and plug methane leaks, as well as cut the practice of venting and flaring excess methane.

Signers included national religious leaders as well as leaders of the West and Southwest, including the Directors of the Wyoming Association of Churches, Colorado Council of Churches, and New Mexico Interfaith Power and Light – all organizations that have been extremely active on the issue.

The letter lifts up faith communities’ shared faith principle of stewardship: “As people of faith, we believe in good stewardship of all the gifts of God’s creation. We consider it part of practicing our faith to counteract wasteful attitudes and behaviors, which Pope Francis call ‘throwaway culture’.”

Since the Bureau of Land Management first announced their effort to cut methane waste, religious communities have championed the cause. Religious leaders highlighted in their letter their collective reaction to learning about the issue: “As our communities learned of the methane waste problem, we found it shocking how much leaked, vented, and flared natural gas is lost from oil and gas operations.” Annually, oil and gas operations in the United States waste enough methane to power the entire state of Wyoming for a year.

When methane leaks from oil and gas operations on public land, a useful gift of God’s creation instead becomes a burden to communities. The religious leaders spoke of this burden in their letter: “Many states count on revenue from these operations to fund projects that care for the common good, including schools and roads. Yet, oil and gas companies allow methane, a finite gift of God’s creation, to waft into the air. This not only pollutes our air, but it also endangers our health and harms our climate. It also sends millions of dollars in potential earnings for the companies and tax revenue for our communities up in smoke.”

As the Methane Waste Rule proceeds from finalization to implementation, religious leaders will continue to monitor its effectiveness, and continue to advocate for cutting methane waste.###Creation Justice Ministries represents the creation care policies of 38 Christian communions, including Baptists, mainline Protestants, Historically Black Churches, Peace Churches, and Orthodox communions. Learn more at www.creationjustice.org

QUOTES

Creation Justice Ministries Executive Director Shantha Ready Alonso said, “This is a common sense move that will benefit everyone’s bottom line. We are grateful the Administration followed through and got it done. We call on oil and gas companies to embrace the Methane Waste Standard as an opportunity for better stewardship of methane, which is a finite gift of God’s creation.”

Wyoming Association of Churches Executive Director ChesieLee said, "We thank the BLM for this rule to discourage waste of a precious resource of God's creation while potentially bringing us more revenue for our schools. At a time when we are facing severe cuts due to a decline of existing revenues available for the State of Wyoming, children can benefit from this improvement in resource stewardship.”

Colorado Council of Churches Executive Director Adrian Miller commented, “As people of faith concerned about being good stewards of the earth, we thank President Obama and his administration for their leadership on improving regulations that will help reduce methane waste.”

Sister Joan Brown, osf, the Executive Director of New Mexico Interfaith Power and Light, commented, "People of faith in New Mexico are grateful for the new BLM methane rules addressing pollution and waste. This is an important step in reducing the large methane cloud in our Four Corners region that will protect the health of those who are most vulnerable. Our schools and the children will benefit from more funds into our state budget from royalties. New Mexico Interfaith Power and Light is grateful for the leadership of this rule that cares for God's creation and our communities."

Christian communities are supporting the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe's actions to protect God's creation, as well as spiritually and culturally significant places, from the Dakota Access Pipeline. Here is a roundup of Christian community solidarity actions. This blog will be updated as more information comes in, and if you have tips for us, email us at info@creationjustice.org

Pray.

Take Action

Join in prayer with Standing Rock.This entire movement has been rooted in prayer.We have collected liturgical resources and prayers from the United Church of Christ, Presbyterian Church (USA) and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).Download prayer resources here.

More than 25 faith community leaders and socially responsible investment firms joined together in a letter to oil and gas lobby groups calling on them to drop their opposition to the U.S. Bureau of Land Management's natural gas waste rule, and join our communities in supporting it.

We have a moral responsibility to cut methane emissions and reduce natural gas waste from oil and gas operations on our public lands. Methane is the primary component of natural gas. We believe all energy sources to be gifts from God, and it is up to us to steward them wisely: As the old adage goes: waste not, want not. When natural gas is wasted, it means lost revenues that could go to the common good – to our schools and communities. Also, that lost energy that could be heating homes for low-income families.

Along with methane, oil and gas operations emit toxics such as benzene, which threaten the health of people living closest to the drilling operations. These drilling sites also emit ozone-forming pollutants that can trigger asthma attacks and worsen emphysema. Communities most at-risk for the effects of ozone pollution are the most vulnerable: children, older adults, impoverished communities, and communities of color.

It is our moral responsibility and duty to cultivate and conserve the gifts of God's creation in a sustainable way - including natural gas. We must ensure future generations can continue to benefit from God's abundant gifts. Many faith teachings, including Pope Francis's recent encyclical Laudato Si', highlight our shared moral responsibility to prevent harm to communities by re-evaluating and changing unsustainable practices.

The good news is that this is a problem we can solve. Our nation has the technologies and the know-how to cut methane waste and pollution. Now is the time for oil and gas lobby groups to join us in supporting the BLM natural gas waste rule.

Energy is an abundant gift from God. It is up to us to steward that energy in a way that is responsible. We must balance the needs of humanity and the rest of God's creation. We also must ensure the ways we meet energy needs of today do not undermine the needs of future generations. Our energy choices matter now more than ever, and this is a year when government and business face some serious choices about methane, the main component of natural gas.

Right now, oil and natural gas industry operations waste and pollute with excess methane by leaking, venting, and flaring it. In the past year, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as well as the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) have taken action to ensure oil and gas industry operations plug methane leaks, and stop the wasteful practice of venting and flaring. The BLM proposed rule is of particular interest to local taxpayers, because oil and gas profits made on BLM public lands contribute to the local common good. (For example, school funding.) In the long run, stopping waste means the profits the companies make and the taxes the communities collect will increase. A moral principle to live by: waste not, want not.

Over time, methane waste and pollution have been a persistent problem for our communities' health, God's creation, and the local economies that miss out on revenue from wasted methane.

The EPA rule and the BLM proposed rule are commonsense measures to ensure all oil and gas operations reduce waste in their operations while also cutting pollution that endangers the health of workers and local communities, as well as the climate. Protestant, Catholic, Evangelical, and Jewish communities are all robustly on the record calling for government to act to cut methane waste and pollution, and in their letters and statements, you can read many reasons why we care. For the sake of alleviating childhood asthma, to stopping climate change, to ensuring governments get their fair share of tax revenue from oil and gas operations, it is time to cut methane waste and pollution.

Just this week, NASA released a report that further reinforced the importance of these methane waste and pollution reduction standards. The NASA report showed natural gas waste and methane pollution burden oil and gas operations in the San Juan Basin, and the surrounding communities. Oil and gas operations contribute to the dangerous methane cloud hovering over the Four Corners. NASA found over 250 methane pollution sources across the San Juan Basin. The study revealed leaking storage tanks and pipeline leaks associated with the oil and gas industry are a major problem, but only 10 percent of the sources studied were responsible for more than half the methane pollution NASA found in the San Juan Basin. How can we find these few devastating leaks without regulation? Without comprehensive leak detection inspections, we can’t predict when and where these leaks will occur. Only clear standards that apply to all industry operators can make that happen.

On the heels of the release of this NASA report, a major player in the public dialogue on energy ethics, the Western Energy Alliance, is convening major oil and gas industry leaders at a national conference. Change is never easy, and it is hard to predict how industry leaders may react to these new EPA standards, the forthcoming BLM standards, and the mounting evidence of the moral imperative to cut methane waste and pollution. On the occasion of oil and gas industry decision-makers' meeting in Vail, Colorado in August 2016, we pray they will share a moral vision for methane stewardship. It is our hope and prayer that industry leaders will see regulations as creating a level playing field that helps everyone better care for the local community's health and wealth.

For such a time as this, we need moral, cautious, forward-thinking leadership from the energy industry. And, we need a lot of prayer for our leaders and decision-makers. Please join us in our effort to pray for oil and gas industry decision-makers, including this week as they meet at the Western Energy Alliance gathering.

***Creator God, we thank and praise you for all the gifts of the Earth that help us heat our homes, travel, cook our meals, and more. The Earth and all that is in it belongs to you, God. We are humbled and grateful that you have entrusted us as caretakers of your creation, and have called us to love our neighbors as ourselves, caring for their health and well-being.

As oil and gas industry leaders convene in Vail, Colorado, we pray for your blessing on their meeting. We pray for moral decision-making among all who have been charged with the great responsibility of meeting our communities' energy needs.

May the words of their mouths and meditations of their hearts center around responsible stewardship of all gifts of the Earth, including methane. God, you have created abundance, and we remember the adage of our ancestors: Waste not, want not.

We pray for strong commitment to the health and well-being of workers and communities living near oil and gas operations.

We pray for a concern for justice and care for your whole good creation, God, planet and people.